Steering wheel for aeroplanes



W. 0. HURST.

STEERING WHEEL FOR AEROPLANES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1921.. RENEWED JUNE 9, 1922. L 491% o Patented July '25 1922.,v

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- W. C. HURST.

STEERWG WHEEL FOR AEROPLANES. APPucAnom FILED MAY 23, 1921. RENEWED JUNE 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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STEERING WHEEL FOE AERUIPLAS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1222.,

Application filed may 23,}1921, Serial Etc. 471,601. Renewed June 9, 1922. Serial No. 567,235.

' To all whom it may concern:

I rudder is effected by a single control device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steering mechanism of more simple form and which is rugged in contruction and arranged to provide for adiustment of the planes through simple me chanical movement.

lln accordance with m invention, the steering device is applica le for airplanes having substantially fixed steering planes, a portion of which is flexed or otherwise operated to provide for steering the airplane, or which planes are provided with ailerons or the like, or for airplanes in which the steering planes are wholly or for substantial portion bodily adjusted for different angles of incidence, such as described in my United States Letters Patent l lo. 994,104, issued to me on the 30th day of May, 1911.

in the more preferred forms of the inven tion, ll provide a steering shaft having a steerin wheel and carrymg a sheave for control ing the wires of the rudder, such shaft being axially rotatably mounted to actuate the sheave and bodily rotatably mounted on a supplemental shaft extending at right angles to such steering shaft, and opposite, segmental gears rotatably mounted on such supplemental shaft and meshing with a gear fixed to the steering shaft and respectively actuated upon axial rotation of the steering shaft, to respectively control the planes on the opposite sides of the airplane. I

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of steering device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view on line 22 of Fig. l and showing auxiliary parts coacting with the steering device proper for controlling the elevators; and F 1g. 3 is a horizontal sectional view similar to F1 2, of my steering device and also showing t e connections of the sheave wheel with the rudder 5 and Fig. 4 is a detail, vertical sectional view of a plane of the type disclosed in my aforesaid United States Letters Patent No.

ship, controlled by the steering device illus trated in the aforesaid figures.

lteferring to the drawings, the steering device proper comprises the steering hand wheel 1 fixedly mounted on the steering shaft 2, rotatably mounted in the collar 3 for rotation about its own axis. T he collar 3 forms a IT-coupling through which extends thesupplemental shaft a, projecting for all positions of the steering shaft 2 at right angles to the steering shaft 2. The supplemental shaft '44: is suitably mounted at its opposite ends 5, 6, in hearings or the like for rotation about its own axis. Mounted on the steering shaft 2 is the sheave 7, the peripheral edge 8 of which is grooved to receive the control wires of the rudder, referred to more particularly hereinafter. The hub 9 of the sheave 7 is of general oval outer contour and is provided with the substantially central, rectilinear slot 10 through which passes the oppositely flattened portion 11 of the steering shaft 2, as is shown more fully in Fig. 2, such flattened portion ll of the steering shaft 2 comprising the diametrically opposite faces 12, 13. Accordingly, such sheave 7 is horizontally mounted on the steering shaft 2 to enable the steering shaft 2 to be bodily rotated about the axis of the supplemental shaft 4t without afifecting the position of the sheave 7 in a rotative sense about the axis of the steering shaft 2.

Fixed tothe steering shaft 2, at a suitable position below the sheave 7, is the cone-gear 14C meshing respectively with the oppositely disposed segment gears 15, 16. The segment gear 15 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 4 and its hub 17 is integral with or otherwise fixedly secured to one end of the collar 18, the opposite end of which is fixed to the arm 19, provided with the eye 20.

Similarly, the segment gear 16 is pivotally mounted on the opposite extension of the auxiliary shaft 1, by means of its hub 21, integral with or otherwise fixedly secured to one end of the collar 22, the optill 994,104, dated May 30, 1911, entitled Airill lid

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devices, ailerons or the like of the planes on the opposite sides of the airplane.

In Fig. 2 I have shown my steerlng device in detail in respect to the controlwires 25,

26, controlling the rudde'r, the right hand control wire 25 passing about the guide pulley 27, idly mounted in the bracket 28, secured to the horizontal rod 29 on one side of the fuselage or to the frame of the airplane. Such control wire 25 makes inltial contact with the sheave 7 at a posteriorly located point of tangent 30 with the circular periphery of the curve 8.

The left hand control wire 26 passes about the guide roller 31 idly mounted in the bracket 32 fixed to the horizontal supporting rod 33, of the fuselage or to the frame of the airplane and the control wire 26 leads oil from the sheave 8 at the anterior tangent point of contact 34.

As appears in Fig. 2,

the anterior oint of contact 34 and the posterior point 0 contact 30 are substantially parallel to the central axis of the slot 10 in the sheave 7 whereby upon bodily rotating the steering shaft 2 about the axis of the supplemental shaft 4, the sheave 8 will be maintained in the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft 2.

'Upon rotation of the steering shaft 2 about its longitudinal axis, say in the direction of the arrow 35, Fig. 1, the cone gear 14 will be rotated in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, causing the segment gear 15 to be bodily rotated about the longitudinal axis of the auxiliary shaft 4 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, and causing the segment gear 16 to be bodily rotated about the longitudinal axis of the supplemental shaft .4 in a direction opposite to that of the segment gear 15, that is to say, in clockwise direction. Accordingly, the arms 19 and 23 will be rotated about the supplemental shaft 4 in opposite directions to cause the control wires leading to the respective planes on their respective sides to be operated in opposite directions.

Referring to Fig. 3, the controlling wires 25, 26 wound about the sheave 7 of the steering device pass from the respective pulle s 27, 31, about the oppositely disposed, a t guide pulleys 35, 36, and thence across one another, then pass about the guide pulleys 37, 38 to opposed connection with the rudder 39.

Accordingly, upon anti-clockwise rotation of the steering shaft 2, as viewed in Fig. 3, the control wire 25 will be unwound and the control wire 26 will be wound on the sheave 7 and thereby causing the rudder 39 tobe shifted clockwise and causing the airplane to be turned to the left, as viewed by the aviator. Similarly, upon clockwise rotation of the steering shaft 2, the control wire 26 will be unwound and the control wire 25 will be wound on the sheave 7, causing the rudder 39 to be shifted anti-clockwise, veerin the airplane to the right.

dhe frame 40 for supporting the uide pulleys and the rudder 39 may be 0 any ap roved construction.

11 Fig. 4 I. have indicated on an enlarged scale the plane 50 .of the bodil rotatable type such as is disclosed in my nited States Letters Patent No. 994,104, grant-ed left planes either in the same or in the oppo site directions, to vary the angle of incidence of the respective planes.

In Fig. 4 I have indicated a single plane 50 such as the ri ht-hand plane, the leading edge 51 of whic is positioned in advance of the steering wheel -1 of my steering device, constructed and arranged as described inthe aforesaid figures. To the operating arm 19 is connected one end of the link 52, the opposite end of which is connected to the lever 53 secured to one end of the control shaft 54. To the opposite end of the control shaft is fixed the eccentric 55, the outer eccentric ring 56 of which is connected to the link 57 pivotally connected to the lever 58 secured to the one end of the control shaft 59. The eccentric 60 is connected to the opposite end of the control shaft 59 and coacts with its outer ring 61, lodged within its supporting block 62 extending lengthwise of the lane 50 and substantially parallel to its lea ing ed e 51.

The control shaft 59 1s journaled in the bearing bracket 63 secured to the top 64 of the fuselage or frame of the airplane, or in any other approved manner.-

The outer end of the plane 50 is pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft, suitably journaled in any approved bearing bracket,'such as similar to the bracket 63. The control shaft 54 is pivotally mounted 1n any suitable manner as by means of the bearing bracket 65 secured to the floor of the fuselage or to the frame of the airplane or in any other approved manner.

Applyin my control device for use with bodily osci lated planes for attaining variaia as able angle of incidence, as is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4, upon anti-clockwise rotation of the steering wheel 1, in the direction of the arrow 35, as indicated in Fig. l, the rudder 39 will be operated clockwise and the right-hand control arm 19 ro tated forwardly, forcing the link 52 for wardly, rotating the eccentric anti-clockwise to lower the link 57, thereby rotating the arm 58 ot the eccentric 6O clockwise, to lift the leading edge 51 of the right hand plane 50. By such anti-clockwise rotation of the steering wheel 1, the control arm 23 of my steering device is rotated rearwardly to operate similarly arranged control elements, to depress the leading edge of the left hand plane, whereby the airplane as a whole will besteered to the left, as viewed by the aviator.

Correspondingly, upon clockwise rotation of the steering wheel, the sheave will be rotated clockwise to shift the rudder 39 anticlockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, and the con trol arm 19 ot my steering deviceis rotated rearwardly of the airplane, thereby depress ing the leading edge 51 01 the right-hand plane 50 while the control arm 23 of my steering device is rotated torwardly of the airplane to cause the leading edge or the left-hand plane to be elevated, thereby steering the airplane to the right, as viewed by the aviator.

Upon bodily rotating the steering wheel 1 together with its steering shaft- 2, about the supporting pivot shaft 4:, say in the direction of the operator, that is to say, toward the right in Figs. 1 and 4;, both the right and left hand planes 50 will be oscillated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. l, to elevate their leading edges 51, whereby the planes will be operated for attaining rising oil the airplane.

Upon bodily rotating the steering wheel 1 together with its steering shaft 2 in the opposite direction, that is to say, away from the operator, toward the left in Fig. 1, both the left-hand and right-hand planes 50 will he operated anti-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. a, and to lower their leading edges 51 whereby the airplane is steeted downwardly.

lln both such operations of bodily rotating the steering shaft to raise and lower the leading edges of the planes, he she we 7 will be maintained in its normal position, and the rudder 39 maintained .in straightahead position.

lit will be noted that the flattened sides 12, 13, of the steering shaft 2 extend but partially longitudinally of the steering shaft 2, to provide the oppositely disposed substantially horizontal flattened faces 12 13 for slidingly supporting the sheave 7 on such flattened faces 12, 13

The operation of my steering device for reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

l claim.

1. in an aeroplane having oppositely disposed planes and a rudder, of a steering device therefor, comprising a steering shaft,

means for axially rotatably mounting said steering shaft, means for bodily rotatably mounting said steering shaft, gearing operated upon axial rotation o't' said steering shaft and controlling said planes, a controlling element for operating said rudder, and means for mounting said controlling element on said steering shaft to operate said controlling element upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and for rendering said rudder controlling element ineffectual upon bodily rotation of said steering shaft.

2. In an aeroplane having oppositely disposed planes and a rudder, of a steering device therefor, comprising a steering shalt, means tor axially rotatably mounting said steering shaft, means for bodily rotatably mounting said steering shaft, a gear mount ed on said steering shalt, pivotally disposed segmental gears meshing with said gear, connections actuated by said segment gears respectively for operating said planes, a controlling element for operating said rudder, and means for mounting said controlling element on said steering shaft to opcrate said controlling element upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and for rendering said rudder controlling element ineffectual upon bodily rotation of said steering shaft.

3. In an aeroplane having oppositely disposed planes and a rudder, of a steering device theretor, comprising a steering shalt, means for axially rotatably mounting said steering shalt, means for bodily rotatably mounting said steering shaft, a conical gear mounted on said steering shaft, pivotally disposed segmental gears meshing with said gear, connections actuated by said segment gears respectively for operating said planes, a controlling element for operating said rudder, and means for mounting said controlling element on said steering shaft to operate said controlling element upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and for rentill till

ltltl ltlti Zlltl llll dering said rudder controlling element ineffectual upon bodily rotation of said steering shaft.

4. In an aeroplane having oppositely disposed planes and a rudder, of a steering device therefor, comprising a steering shaft, means for axially rotatably mounting said steering shaft, means for bodily rotatably mounting said steering shaft, a conical gear mounted on said steering shaft, pivotally disposed segmental gears meshing with said gear, means for pivotally mounting said segmental gears on said second named mounting means of said steering shaft, connections actuated by said segment gears respectively for operating said planes, a controlling element for operating said rudder, and means for mounting said controlling element on said steering shaft to operate said controlling element upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and for rendering said rudder controlling element ineffectual upon bodily rotation of said steering shaft.

5. In an aeroplane, a steering device therefor, comprisin a steerin shaft, means for axially rotata ly mountlng said steering shaft, means for bodily rotatably mounting said steering shaft, gearing operated upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and controlling the wings, a controlling element for operating the rudder, and means for mounting said controlling element on said steering shaft to operate said controlling element upon axial rotation of said steering shaft and for rendering said rudder controlling element ineffectual upon bodily rotation of said steering shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 17th day of May, 1921.

WILLIAM C. HURST. 

